Skin Damage

Are you worried about wrinkles and saggy skin? Are you thinking that plastic surgery and Botox will be part of your future? Well, by changing a few things in your daily skin care regime you will be able to stave off nature’s effects for longer.

Most skin damage can be attributed to two things: photodamage (sun damage) and smoking. Keeping this in mind, it is best to start by looking at these two factors when beginning your anti-aging regime.

By protecting your skin from long term exposure to the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, you are in fact helping your skin to stay younger for longer. When UV rays hit the skin, cells in the dermis scramble to produce melanin to the epidermis. This is the process that gives you a tan, which is really just your skin attempting to block the radiation from penetrating your skin.

The Science Bit

UVB rays are shorter than UVA rays, and are the main culprits behind sunburn. But it is the UVA rays, with their longer wavelength, that are responsible for much of the damage we associate with photoaging. Excessive exposure to the sun results in photoaging which is where the skin loses its tightness causing it to wrinkle and make people look older. UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis, where they damage the collagen fibers. This damage causes increased production of abnormal elastin. The unusual amounts of elastin result in the production of enzymes called metalloproteinases. These enzymes, which rebuild damaged collagen, often malfunction and degrade the collagen, resulting in incorrectly rebuilt skin. As this process is repeated with daily UVA exposure, the incorrectly rebuilt skin forms wrinkles, and the depleted collagen results in leathery skin.

Research shows that 90% of wrinkles are caused by UVA light, and sun damage is the number one cause of premature ageing in women and men.

Protect Your Skin

The best way to combat photoaging is through prevention. Daily application of broad spectrum sun protection with an SPF of 15 or higher to areas vulnerable to photoaging will not only help prevent photoaging, but can reverse some of the signs you might already have. Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before exposure to the sun and re-applied after swimming or sweating to maintain its effectiveness. It is also advisable to avoid the sun between 10am and 4pm when its rays are strongest.

Photoaging is also one of the first signs of photodamage which can lead to skin cancer. As fairer skin is more susceptible to photodamage more care should be taken to prevent photoaging. Although darker skinned people are less at risk of photoaging, they are equally at risk of dehydration with long duration sun exposure.

Worldwide statistics on skin cancer have led dermatologists to recommend the use of broad spectrum sunscreen for all skin types.

So, the secret to keeping your skin looking young, whatever the type, is to always protect it from the sun.